


A Problem with Roommates

by Ruunkur



Series: During The Quiet Nights [1]
Category: Digimon Adventure, Digimon Adventure Zero Two | Digimon Adventure 02
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-05
Updated: 2018-05-05
Packaged: 2019-05-02 08:26:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14540709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruunkur/pseuds/Ruunkur
Summary: "I keep walking in on you and my roommate making out and I'm somehow into both of you." - A story of confusion as told by Takeru





	A Problem with Roommates

**Author's Note:**

> Edit: The story that I had ripped and molded out of The Problem with Roommates. The happy ending to the Roommates stories.
> 
> So! I came across the prompt for this story back in March and thought it would be a fun one-shot to do. This is not edited beyond changing some of the beginning around to make sense and spelling errors!
> 
> Well....that one shot turned into a convoluted plot that is currently sitting at about 45K that I've been working off and on for a couple of months now. I reworked the beginning to make it into a one-shot once more. 
> 
> HOWEVER!
> 
> I am still working on the much longer version. If you are interested in seeing the longer version, comment/kudos/ect are highly encouraged! Longer version includes: Confused sexualities, confused relationships, digimon, death, rebirth, general humor, tattoos, and many other things not included in this one! I have no idea how the plot ran so far away from me originally. That being said, if anyone would be interested in beta reading the longer version, leave a comment or message me on Tumblr @ Ruunkur.tumblr.com

The young adult lets out a sigh, pushing his key into the lock and praying that his roommate had the decency to not be-

"-aurgh,"

He sighed, his gaze dragging up to the two bodies entangled on the couch, debating briefly just going to his room before he clicked his tongue, slipping his shoes off and heading into the small kitchen, keeping his gaze trained on the fridge. If he looked up even just a fraction of an inch-

He's turning to the microwave, heating up left overs when he gets an actual glimpse of the two other young adults on the shared couch. He swallowed, turning his gaze back to the microwave as one of them-what sounds like his roommate-comes up for air and his partner lets out a small cough.

"Think it would be best if we moved this to the bedroom?" The young man who was definitely not Takeru's roommate asked. "Or actually, is it that late already? I have to go, I'm sorry Daisuke,"

"No, it's fine." Daisuke said, shifting up on the touch and the man in the kitchen gets another glimpse as he turned to take the food out of the microwave of the two kissing, or maybe swapping spit at this point-it's hard to tell to be honest with how pressed up against each other they were. He swallowed, setting his food on the counter maybe a bit harder than necessary, but it got the effect of them jumping apart.

"Right, shall I walk you to your car?" Daisuke offered, his partner smiling and nodding in agreement. The man in the kitchen slumps his shoulders, relaxing when they walk out. It's nearly twenty minutes later by the time Daisuke traipses back in, happily humming.

"How was work Takeru?" He asked, walking into the kitchen.

"It could be better," Takeru said with a shrug. "I've been working on some terrible articles that needed editing for the company. They may end up rejected at this rate however."

"Ready any interesting ones?" Daisuke asked, rummaging through the kitchen as Takeru set his now empty bowl in the sink, refusing to let himself move until the bowl was cleaned with soap. He set it on the drying rack, turning to face Daisuke.

"Yes, but could I please ask that you and your boyfriend keep your make out sessions off the couch?" Takeru asked, picking up the towel from the counter to dry his hands.

"We do not make out on the couch that often. And besides, we were watching a movie." Daisuke protested, giving Takeru his best innocent look he could pull off.

"It's been three times this week." Takeru protested, shaking his head. "I don't think I've even officially met him yet, and I know what he looks like when you have your tongue shoved down his throat."

"Is this 'the roommate wants to meet boyfriend' thing or something?" Daisuke asked, raising an eyebrow. "Surely you've had a good couple of make out sessions on that couch yourself."

"None that devolved into us nearly trying to smother each other." Takerku pointed out. "You can do that shit in your bedroom."

"But I don't have a TV in there to watch movies with Ken." Daisuke said, giving his best pout that he could muster. Takeru let out a sigh, running a hand through his hair.

"Why do you have to be impossible?" He asked to no one in particular.

"Ken's coming over tomorrow. I'm doing a ramen taste testing. Why don't you join us?" Daisuke offered. "And everything else can be kept to the bedroom after that."

Takeru considered the offer for a moment, slowly rubbing his temples. "I believe Hikari was supposed to come over tomorrow."

"She can join us!" Daisuke said with a grin. "I promise I'm completely over her."

"I'll see," Takeru said, holding up a hand before Daisuke could continue. "I can start texting you when I'm on my way home if you two just... Move the making out to the bedroom, or something. Please,"

Daisuke considered the thought for a moment, weighing the options before offering him a shrug. "I'll see what I can do." He said with a wink, his face growing serious. "But we were just watching a movie right before you got home, I promise."

"I'm going to bed." Takeru said, heading out of the kitchen and past the couch. His mind lingers on the scene he had walked in and he scoffed, there had been no way they had just been watching a movie moments before he got home.

***

"Well, are you going to do anything about it?" Hikari asked, glancing towards Takeru from where she was leaning back in the bubble filled bath.

"I don't know," Takeru said, perched on the small bathroom counter. It was a little over one in the afternoon and Hikari, after some much needed insistence from Takeru, had agreed to Daisuke's ramen testing later that evening. "Burn the couch, maybe. Who knows what they get up to when I'm not there."

"I think you're obsessing over nothing." Hikari decided stretching and staring at ceiling, considering the options. "So, you walk in on them making out a couple of times, what's the worst thing that can happen?"

"See, that's what I thought the first time. It doesn't matter, we're all guys, right? Well, then it happened the second time. The third time, I caught myself staring. Fourth time, I just walk into my room. Well, after the fifth time, the dreams of them began." Takeru said, deadly serious.

"Are you saying that you think you have a crush on your roommate and his boyfriend?" Hikari asked, turning to look at him with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't know what I'm saying." Takeru muttered. "That's why I need your help."

"Well, you are bi," Hikari pointed out.

"We've discussed that, yeah..." Takeru frowned. "Where are you going with that statement?"

"It could be very well that you find two guys making out hot." Hikari said with a smile. "So, you see two-I'm assuming, I remember Daisuke from when we were in grade school-handsome men making out. They match up with your type, at least one dark haired, possibly both athletic. Now imagine them-"

"I don't want to objectify my roommate." Takeru protested, cutting Hikari off with a groan. "I'm having a hard time enough without those thoughts flashing around me head. Thank you Hikari,"

"You're welcome Takeru. Do you watch porn?" Hikari inquired, picking up her phone from the side of the bath and looking at the messages that she had received in the last hour.

"Aren't you an elementary teacher?" Takeru shot back.

"What I do in my spare time is completely up to me Takaishi." Hikari said, sticking her tongue out at him. He smiled at the childish gesture, watching her put the phone back on the side of the bath.

"The answer, as you probably know, is yes." Takeru retorted.

"So, what kind of guys do you usually seek out when you do watch porn? And do both Daisuke and his mysterious boyfriend manage to hit ay of your fantasy boys?" Hikari asked. "I know what you look for in female presenting partners. But what about the male ones?"

"You have too much time on your hands." Takeru commented.

"You don't have enough friends to talk about this with. Would you rather go to Mimi or Sora regarding this situation? Or even, gods above forbid, your brother or mine?" Hikari teased.

"There's Jyou and Koushiro too," Takeru tried, though he knew that defense was weak.

"Face it, I'm the only one that you would want to talk to this about because I won't make you feel extremely uncomfortable regarding the subject." Hikari replied, tipping her head back against the edge of the bath and just relaxing in the water while she waited for Takeru to come up with some sort of defense for himself.

"Want to know the worst part?" Takeru asked finally, needing to break the silence with something.

"How can it get worse?" Hikari inquired, Takeru rolling his eyes at the tone of her voice.

"Every time I see Daisuke's boyfriend, I am reminded of the Kaiser, the one that disappeared shortly after he appeared. Do you recall that?" Takeru asked.

"Yeah, we never figured out what happened. Everything went peaceful after that. Hell, the gates closed shortly after that." Hikari agreed. "But how does Daisuke's boyfriend remind you of the Digimon Kaiser?"

"His hair," Takeru said. "Especially after they get done making out. It's...so poofy and spiky."

Hikari is silent for a moment, slowly shaking her head. "We figured that the Kaiser got eaten, there's no way he's still around."

"I guess, but it's a thought." Takeru sighed, slumping on the counter.

"Are you saying that you were crushing on the Kaiser when we were younger?" Hikari asked, eyes widening at the thought.

"I was not-" Takeru blushed, stumbling over the words. "I mean, that is, I was..."

"You had a crush on the Kaiser." Hikari grinned.

"Fine, I found him...attractive in the 'Oh damn, I would like him to walk all over me' when we were teenagers as an after thought. When we were fighting him, he was an ass." Takeru grumbled.

"You had a crush on him," Hikari said, struggling to keep the laughter out of her voice.

"Okay, I would have had a crush on him if he hadn't been intent on taking over the digital world and subjecting the digimon to be his slaves." Takeru tried.

"And then he vanished..." Hikari began.

"And afterwards, I used him as a springboard-" He began.

"A springboard?" HIkari chuckled.

"He's dead, it was safe!" Takeru protested. "Besides, it's not like there were many other teenagers around my age that I could crush on without them finding out."

"I'm never going to let you live that down." Hikari said with a grin.

"You had a crush on Yamato when we were eight." Takeru said, his face going stoic. "You had a diary entry questioning if you and he were meant to be."

"You promised to never tell!" Hikari squeaked, flicking water at Takeru.

"Don't ever mention the fact I figured out I was bi by the evil emperor of the digital world." Takeru said, hiding his face in his hands.

"We can agree to conceed this," Hikari decided, tipping her head back.

"Thank you," Takeru said, lapsing into silence and relaxing until Hikari spoke once more.

"Why don't you go get food so I can finish showering?" Hikari suggested, getting up from the bath. Takeru turned, giving her the privacy requested and shutting the door behind him. He walked into the kitchen, looking through the fridge and considering the options of what to eat. He stared into it, his mind wandering to having watched Daisuke make ramen more than once.

Takeru opened the fridge and grabbed something he could make for lunch easily. He began to work on making the food, settling on something simple.

"Do you miss the digital world?" Hikari asked, Takeru nearly jumping when he heard the voice. he turned to look at her, the young woman towel drying her hair as she watched him.

"Of course I do," Takeru replied, moving around the kitchen and getting the simple dish of eggs ready. He rested his hands on the counter, swallowing and turning to look at her. "It was such a big part of our childhood. Who wouldn't miss it?" He asked.

"Maybe you're right," Hikari said with a shake of her head. "The draft you sent me sounds so...melancholy."

"Of course," Takeru sighed. "Sometimes, I wonder if I should talk to Daisuke about it. I recall him being upset every time we blew him off to do something in the digital world. But then, I remember his boyfriend...maybe if I talk to them about it, they might understand?"

"After what you said in the bathroom?" Hikari asked with a raised eyebrow. "The, and I quote, 'I figured out I was bi by the evil emperor of the digital world'? The fact that Daisuke's boyfriend reminds you of the digimon kaiser?"

"I always hated lying to him." Takeru pointed out. "If his ramen is any good tonight, I was thinking of asking if he could cook dinner for the annual chosen meetup anyway, seeing as it is my turn to host for the food next month. It may not be the same as having our partners with us, but the idea that I lied..." He shrugged, shaking his head.

"It's something that humans do," Hikari pointed out, walking over to watch him scramble the eggs. She leaned over, kissing him lightly on the cheek. "But, if you feel so strongly, I'll go with you tonight and maybe we can convince them that it happened."

"Convince them?" Takeru asked, taking a step back and nudging Hikari out of the way so he could finish cooking.

"We have no proof that it happened." Hikari reminded him, patting his cheek. "It may have just well been our imagination the entire time."

"We have pictures," Takeru argued.

"I know," she said with a laugh. "I just can't wait to see if Daisuke's boyfriend is actually the missing Kaiser."

Takeru groaned, placing his face in his hands after taking the food off the burner. "Why do I put up with this?" He asked quietly.

"Because you love me." Hikari replied, a smile on her face at Takeru's responding groan.

***

Takeru pushed open the door, feeling Hikari lurk over his shoulder. He glanced her er, noting how wide her eyes were before he glanced towards the living room, seeing Daisuke and Ken on the couch. He placed his face in his hands, Hikari patting him on the shoulder.

"It's not the worst that you can walk in on." She offered, her voice breaking apart the two startled men.

"I'm terribly sorry," Ken said, pushing Daisuke up and off him as gently as he could. "We meant to have..." He trailed off, his gaze darting to Hikari.

"Don't worry about," Takeru said, taking a step forward. Hikari followed, a smile on her face.

"Hello Daisuke, it's been awhile." She said, turning to the slightly embarrassed man.

"H-hey Hikari," he said with a small wave. His gaze flicked over to her, catching the sight of Takeru as he did so. "Er, sorry, we meant to..."

"You were watching a movie?" Takeru guessed, shaking his head. "Don't worry about it." He said after a moment, swallowing as Hikari patted his back.

"Ah, Yagami Hikari, correct?" Ken asked, standing up from the couch and walking over. He held out a hand, a smile on his face. "Ichijouji Ken. Daisuke has mentioned you a couple of times in passing. I really admire how well your brother is doing in his soccer career."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Hikari said, taking his hand and offering him a smile in return. "I'm sad to say that Takeru hasn't told me much about you."

"It's because we haven't actually met." Takeru said, glancing at Ken with a small nod of his head. "Each time I've seen you, you're almost always on the way out the door."

"Yes, that's true." Ken said, dropping his hand when Hikari dropped hers. "I'm sorry I haven't taken the chance to properly introduce myself. Ichijouji Ken,"

"Takaishi Takeru," Takeru responded, his gaze darting back to where Daisuke was fixing his shirt.

"I'm going to start on the food in a moment," Daisuke said as he stood. Takeru shoved his hands in his pockets, Hikari taking off her jacket and placing it on the coat rack.

"Do you have a moment to catch up while you prepare?" Hikari asked, Daisuke stopping to stare at her. "Er, Daisuke?" She asked, waving a hand in front of his face.

"I didn't know you were one for tattoos." Daisuke snapped out of his trance, shaking his head.

"Yeah, I got them for my eighteenth birthday," Hikari said, glancing down at the tattoos on her right arm. "They're to remember a...journey I went on."

"What sort of journey?" Ken asked politely, taking a step closer as Hikari held up her arm to show the tattoos portraying Nyaromon, Plotmon, and Tailmon.

"A journey of self discovery." Hikari said with a smile. Takeru shifted from foot to foot, glancing at the two men. "These are three out of the five I have actually."

"Did they hurt to get?" Daisuke asked, truly interested.

"The one on my ribs hurt the most." Hikari admitted. "But I'm glad I have them."

"They look familiar," Ken said, taking a step closer. "Takeru, Daisuke mentioned that you were in the process of getting a book published. You had some concept works on the table a couple of days before. These tattoos and those work, do they stem from the same thing?"

Takeru nodded, frowning ever so slightly. "They do," he agreed. "Hikari helped me greatly when it came to some of the final designs. She was a great inspiration for the child of light in the trilogy." Daisuke had already gone into the kitchen, beginning to work on prepping several of the items needed to make his ramen.

Tkaeru turned, almost jolting out of the room when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He glanced at ken, taking a brief pause to get his emotions under control before he smiled at him, a question on the tip of his tongue before he spoke. "It would be lovely if you were interested in showing me some of your work. I often don't have much time to dedicate towards creative outlets, such as writing, but I've always been interested in the completed works. What is the basis for a the story?"

"It's about seven children who get sucked into an alternate reality. They have to save their world and the world they were chosen to save." Hikari cut in, smiling at Ken. "They fight monsters and, when all hope seems lost, they find an eighth child who is the key to defeating the monster that threatens Tokoyo. The second book takes place after the final battle, when the heroes are called once more to fight and save the alternate reality, known as the digital world by this point, from a group of digital monsters calling themselves the dark masters. The third and final book takes place three years after the first two, where the two youngestand three new chosen kids fight against an evil kaiser set on taking over the digital world. The kaiser is convinced to join the heroes and, together, they save the digital world."

"What she said," Takeru said with a nod, Ken raising his eyebrow. "I try to explain it and it comes out along the lines of, 'a group of kids chosen to save a world where things don't make sense'. It's hard to condense something you've written into such simple terms. I've found it easier to have someone else explain it, otherwise you would get more pointless information than you know what to do with."

"I wouldn't call it pointless." Hikari said with a shake of her head. "It's just not simplified enough."

"She's been helping me write in since we were in school." Takeru added.

"But it was all his idea," Hikari shot back. "I just enjoy editing and finding plot holes." Ken glanced between the two, impressed.

"I didn't know either of you had such an interest." He responded. "When Daisuke talks about you, it's how you two always seemed to vanish while in school or-"

He was cut off as there was a banging from the kitchen, Daisuke letting out a small curse. "Is everything okay in here?" Takeru asked, walking over to the small kitchen and glancing at him.

"Just, dropped a pan." He said, holding up the small sauce pan. "Continue on, as you were."

"Do you need any help?" Hikari asked, stepping towards Daisuke.

"Sure, if you want to help." Daisuke said with a nod. Takeru sighed, watching the two disappear into the kitchen before he sat down on the couch.

"Are you looking for more people to read your story?" Ken asked, following him curiously. Takeru glanced up, shaking his head.

"It's set to release August first," Takeru responded. "I may have a final copy in my room, if you want to read it early."

"I would be delighted," Ken smiled at Takeru and he felt his breath catch as he forced himself to smile back.

"Let me...go grab it then." He said, quickly getting up from the couch and heading towards his room. He opened the door, hearing Ken's footsteps behind him. He saw Ken stand outside the door as he found one of his finalized copies on his bookshelf, grabbing it and flipping through to verify that it was the final form and not one of the first rough drafts that had been bound. He turned, nearly stepping into Ken at the doorway.

"Sorry," Ken said, taking a step back and glancing around his room. "It's so much cleaner than Daisuke's room." He added.

"Yeah, I try." Takeru said, scratching the back of his head with a small laugh. "This is the first one in the series. Let me know what you think?" He asked, his gaze fluttering from Ken's face to the book he held out between them.

"Of course," Ken said with a smile, accepting the book. The two returned to the couch, Ken opening the book and settling down to begin reading.

It was nearly an hour later before Daisuke called that the food was ready, Hikari setting the table. Takeru blinked, glancing between the two before looking down at the table, amazed at the setting.

"So these are a couple of tests that I'm working out for my ramen cart." Daisuke said, Takeru taking a seat next to Hikari and glancing at her with a raised eyebrow. She offered him a shrug back, cocking him half a smile. "Let me know what you think." He added, sitting down.

"They smell delicious," Ken said, taking his seat next to Daisuke and smiling at him.

"Thanks," Daisuke said, dishing up the three different types into three bowls for each person. Takeru looked down at the ramen, glancing back to the other two from the corner of his eyes as Ken started to eat, commenting on the different tastes. He began to eat as well, enjoying the taste of the first ramen.

"You're pretty good at this," Hikari said, glancing up from her own bowls. "I think you'll do well for a ramen cart."

"I've been thinking about going to America to do it." Daisuke explained, his gaze darting around the room.

"Oh, America?" Takeru asked, feeling his hand began to shake. He clutched the spoon a bit tighter, forcing himself to calm down.

"Yeah," Daisuke said with a nod. "I think it would be a good start."

"Hmm?" Ken's gaze darted to Daisuke, the man raising an eyebrow. "That's news to me." He mused.

"I know, I haven't done much research on it but..." Daisuke shrugged, shaking his head. "It's just an idea to think about, really."

"It would be a lot to move to America and start a business. I would caution that you do further research before deciding on that course of action. There is no telling how it would take there either." Ken pointed out, Daisuke nodding with a sigh, agreeing quietly with Ken.

The rest of the dinner passed silently, Takeru and Ken both offering to dishes. They glanced at each other, Daisuke letting out a smile.

"You two can have at it." Daisuke said, getting up and stretching. "I'm going to add these three recipes to my idea book."

"I should be heading home. Good night Takeru." Hikari said, walking over and kissing his cheek as he pulled her into a hug. He walked her to the door before heading to the kitchen, finding that Ken had already gathered all the dishes. Daisuke was leaning against the counter, his gaze flashing to Takeru.

"Are you and Hikari dating?" He asked curiously.

"No," Takeru said with a quick shake of his head. "We dated briefly in high school, but it didn't work out very well. We're just really good friends. Besides, she has a long term girlfriend. Remember Miyako from school?"

"No way, they're dating?" Daisuke asked, his eyes going wide. "I didn't think... I mean, I thought..I was just wondering...You never seem to bring anyone home and you two are close. I didn't think..."

"No, we dated for a while while we were in school, but both decided it wouldn't work." Takeru said with a small laugh as he began to wash dishes, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt.

"So, are you seeing a girl or anything?" Daisuke asked curiously.

Takeru let out a sigh, scrubbing at a spoon under the soapy water before setting it on the towel for Ken to dry. He considered the question, shaking his head. "It seems to me that, when I do end up liking someone, they end up already seeing other people." He explained, gesturing with one of his hands as he spoke. Daisuke's gaze flicked to his arm, raising an eyebrow.

"You have tatoos to?" Ken inquired softly, letting his gaze slide to the two that were visible. Takeru hummed in agreement, both of Daisuke's eyebrows raised.

"We've been living together since we were nineteen. I've never seen any tattoos." He said, stepping forward to try and get a better view. "Those look amazing."

"Thanks, the artist that did them were very talented." Takeru said softly. "You know the fashion designer, Takenouchi Sora? She also does tattooing on the side. She did both mine and Hikari's tattoos, along with several of our friends before she got heavily into fashion designing."

"That's really cool." Daisuke commented, taking a step back. "So, is there anyone you do like?"

"Hmm?" Takeru frowned, his gaze darting to Daisuke as he went back to scrubbing dishes.

"You said that, when you do end up liking someone, they're already in a relationship. You must have a crush on somebody, right?" Daisuke asked.

"I believe the question that Daisuke is trying to ask," Ken said, breaking his silence, "is whether you have an interest in male or females."

"Both," Takeru responded. "And to the question you did ask, the...person that I have an interest in is currently in a relationship, so it's a no-go."

"Man, that's always the worst feeling in the world." Daisuke said in agreement.

"As far as I'm aware Daisuke dear, you've only been in one relationship." Ken commented as he dried the now clean dishes and set them to the side. Daisuke moved to help, beginning to put the assorted dishes away.

"I mean, there were a couple of high school love interests that never went anywhere." Daisuke responded, sticking his tongue out at Ken.

Takeru finished scrubbing the last bowl, setting it to the side and draining the sink. "Really, I've accepted it."

"So, who's the lucky person? I'm sure that anyone would want such a great catch as you." Daisuke asked, waiting for Ken to finish drying the last few dishes before taking them and putting them away.

"Is it really any of our business?" Ken asked softly.

"Not really," Takeru agreed with Ken. "Besides, like I said, it doesn't matter. They're in a happy relationship. Let me know what you think of the book Ken. I'm going to bed, good night."

"Night," Daisuke said, watching Takeru walk away, rolling down his sleeves. His gaze caught the last of the tattoo, the man tipping his head to the side.

"What's on your mind?" Ken asked, watching Daisuke.

"I'm just curious about Takeru." Daisuke admitted. "He's never really talked about being interested in anyone before, so..."

"You are not going to go prying in his life. He obviously didn't want to talk about it." Ken pointed out.

"But-" Daisuke began.

"Is this about the thing we discussed a couple months ago?" Ken asked, gingerly reaching out and touching Daisuke's cheek with a frown.

"Why ask that now?" Daisuke asked with a frown. "I mean..."

"The mournful gaze as he walks to his room. The way you watch his every move. The fact that we do often end up on the couch until you know that he's home. Your constant musings about him as well, I would suppose." Ken leans forward, resting a hand on Daisuke's cheek. "It's okay if you find interest in other men besides myself." He said with a smile, tilting his head ever so slightly to the side.

"That's not-" Daisuke blushed, dropping Ken's gaze. "I mean..."

"Do you still find interest in him?" Ken asked, truthfully curious about his answer.

"Maybe," Daisuke admitted. "But-"

"I must admit, I like him too." Ken agreed, his answer seeming to surprise Daisuke. "I've always wondered what it would be like to be with both of you, but I never found a way to coherently bring it up without seeming to be brash in my affections for you. And he's such a wonderful person."

"Well, perhaps we should..I don't know, maybe talk to him about it?" Daisuke frowned.

"I could come over while he's at work tomorrow and we can surprise him with dinner. That would be a good time to perhaps mention it." Ken suggested, brushing hair behind his ear as he considered it.

"We can do that," Daisuke said with a smile. "I think it would be a nice surprise."

"So, we can go forth in this endevour and see if Takeru is interested?"

"Yeah, I guess so." Daisuke said with a sigh. "Just...it's not strange, is it?"

"I often find that polyamory is a healthy option to explore in romances if all parties are interested." Ken admitted.  
"Maybe..." Daisuke sighed. "I just...I like him,"

"Mhmm," Ken hummed in agreement, stepping closer and kissing Daisuke softly. "You know you have my permission and consent if you want to seek out a relationship with him. I am perfectly happy with that."

"Of course!" Daisuke said, his eyes brightening at the mention of their date night and the newly added plan. "I love you Ken." He kissed Ken softly, pulling back and clearing his throat. "i'll, see you Sunday afternoon then?"

"I will see you Sunday," Ken responded, smiling at him. "But, I do fear I must get going. I'm sorry to cut it short." He picked up the book that Takeru had gifted him, gathering his coat as well.

"Sunday," Daisuke replied as he walked Ken to the door. He gave his boyfriend one last kiss, locking the door behind him once he was certain Ken had gotten onto the elevator.

***

Takeru aimlessly flipped through the channels on the TV, his eyes tracking the images before he flipped to another station. He did this for nearly an hour before Daisuke took the remote, turning off the TV completely.

"Hey, I was starting to watch that." Takeru complained, glancing at Daisuke.

"You've been doing that for nearly two hours that I've seen." Daisuke said with a wave of his hand at the TV. "Don't you have something better to be doing?"

"No, not really, it's my weekend. Hence, using the couch for the actual purposes that couches are meant for." Takeru said with a gesture at the couch.

"That's a low blow," Daisuke said with a small sniff. "But hey, I'm having a date with Ken on Sunday. Would you be able to clear out for a couple of hours?"

"Will I have to burn the couch upon my return because you two had sex on it?" Takeru asked, glancing at Daisuke with a small sigh.

"What-we-no!" Daisuke protested, his eyes going wide. "I wouldn't-that would-no." He spluttered, shaking his head quickly.

"I'm only kidding." Takeru said with a smile Daisuke's way. "Yeah, I'm going to go over to Yamato's anyway. He's bummed because him and Sora broke up and it was a really bad break up, from what I've been gathering. Someone needs to kick him in the ass and get him going again."

"Thank you," Daisuke said, his shoulders relaxing. "I appreciate it a lot."

"Not a problem," Takeru said, sending Yamato a text to let him know that he would be over Sunday afternoon. "Just...I'll be home around eight, is that late enough?"

"Of course," Daisuke said with a nod. "Thank you so much," he added, leaning over and pulling Takeru into a hug. Takeru returned it, blinking at him.

"Okay, can I get the remote back?" He asked.

"Oh, of course!" Daisuke said, pulling away and handing it to him. Takeru turned the TV back on, returning to his aimless channel flipping.

***

Takeru stood outside of his brother's apartment, raising his hand to knock on the door. It had been several months since he had last seen the man, having heard of the backlash from the breakup of Sora and Yamato from Hikari, who had been helping Sora at the time.

He glanced at the time on his phone, seeing the message from Daisuke before ignoring it, knocking on the door once more. Yamato answered, giving his brother a once over before gesturing him into the apartment.

"You look like crap," Takeru commented, pulling off his shoes by the door as Yamato let out a small grunt.

"I'm getting over being sick actually." He said, dropping onto the couch in his sparsely decorated living room. "How have you been?"

"Oh, I've been okay." Takeru said with a small shrug. "The first book in my trilogy comes out on August first, so I've been dealing with the finishing details for that."

"Ah, and how does the young author feel about having his first book published?" Yamato asked, muffling a short cough.

"If you're still sick, I could have stayed home." Takeru said quickly. "Or, found something else to do actually. Ken and Daisuke are having a dinner date tonight."

"Ah, and how is it going with your roommate and his boyfriend?" Yamato asked.

"There are times where...Ken goes...cold. He spokes in an emotionless tone that just...it reminds me a lot of the Kaiser. I've only heard him do it a couple times, but still." Takeru shrugged, watching Yamato's mouth pull into a frown.

"Cold and heartless?" Yamato asked with a raised eyebrow. "That doesn't sound like the other times you've described Daisuke or Ken. Not that we've talked much lately. Sorry about that."

"He has these moods sometimes, where he acts like nothing matters. He goes scary quiet and it's like he's an entirely different person." Takeru said, voice growing quiet as he spoke.

"You like him, don't you?" Yamato asked, watching as Takeru turned, his head snapping up to stare Yamato down.

"I'm sorry, say that again?" He asked, almost out of surprise.

"You like Ken, don't you?" Yamato asked, crossing his arms over his chest. He tipped his chair back, watching Takeru curiously. "You've talked to me before about how annoying you foudn Daisuke. But you talk about them both in this...hopeless voice as if they could never truly make you annoyed."

"I mean," Takeru gestured to the air helplessly, glancing towards his brother. "Not like you have had functional relationships."

"My relationship with Sora was functional." Yamato said with a snort, letting his chair drop to all fours.

"Then why did you break up?" Takeru asked curiously.

"I..." Yamato sighed, letting his arms fall to the table. "It's hard maintaining a relationship when the person you're dating wants to be with someone else. And she was growing frustrated because school has been more of a priority for me than." He said finally.

"She's been in love with you since school." Takeru pointed out. "Since we first went to the digital world."

"The last few months, we both sat down and had several long talks." Yamato began. He stared at his palms resting on the table before finally bringing his gaze up to Takeru. "You know, how when one of your friend group turns out to be gay?"

"Yeah...?" Takeru said with a frown. "You don't have a problem with that, do you?" He asked quickly.

"No, not at all." Yamato said with a shake of his head. "Look at how Taichi acts. The world doesn't know he's gay, but he was the first one of us to admit it. Growing up, I watched you and Hikari struggle to hold a relationship-"

"I have dated other girls, I may not be straight, but I am bi. And our past relationship has nothing to do with this!" Takeru cut off his brother, giving him a look. "What is this about?"

"Okay, you know how the band did the album with Mimi before she took off on her own career?" Yamato asked.

"Sure, but what's the point of all of this?" Takeru asked, adjusting his stance and forcing himself to relax his tensed up muscles.

"Sora has a major crush on Mimi and it was causing fights and stress between us." Yamato explained, his gaze sliding to hte side. "It's..."

"You're trying to get at that most of our group is probably queer?" Takeru asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Probably," Yamato said with a nod. "We flock together like penguins searching for warmth in the coldest part of winter."

"So, who do you like?" Takeru asked, watching his brother fidget with a stray thread on his shirt.

"This is about your potential crush on your roommate and his partner." Yamato said quickly, his face growing hot.

"There's no potential about it." Takeru said with a shake of his head. "But, I am worried about you. And what happened with you."

"Look," Yamato said quietly. "Regardless of what happened between Sora and I-"

"What was that final argument about?" Takeru asked, turning his attention to his brother. The older blond heaved a sigh, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I called her out on everything." He said finally.

"Called her out?" Takeru asked with a frown, taking a seat as the table when Yamato suddenly slumped back into his chair.

"Yeah," he said with a nod. "We were planning a wedding for fuck's sake." He ran a hand through his hair, Takeru picking up on the trembling in his fingers. "She was nagging me about everything. Wanting to make sure I had a stable job, that I could make money, that she would be taken care of. Just, a constant stream of bullshit. Then she started comparing me to Taichi, to Mimi, to anything that she could get a hold of. I finally called her out on the shit. Told her that if she wanted me to be someone else, she could just go to them."

Takeru frowned, watching as his brother seemed to unravel in his chair.

"I couldn't handle it anymore." He said, voice quieter than it had been moments before. Takeru watched as the emotions of grief and pain passed through his brother's face before he finally composed himself once more. "She wanted something that I could never be. And she never..." He paused, grimacing as he searched for words. "When I explained to her about the sex thing, she almost lost it then too."

"Sex thing?" Takeru asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It's uncomfortable and I find it very gross." Yamato responded, voice sounding dead to Takeru's ears. "But she wanted to have sex and kept pressing for it. Said it would solidify our relationship if we did and wouldn't take no for an answer."

"That's..." Takeru let out a low whistle. "Did you ever...?"

"The first couple of times she asked? But it was just, all around awkward. look, you can blame that on us being teenagers and virgins, but I never had the drive to go out and be sexually active or anything." Yamato said with a shake of his head. "Trust me, I saw Taichi's porn stash, that is not an image I will ever get out of my head."

"Ouch," Takeru agreed with a knowing nod. "Do you think you'll ever be friends with Sora again?" Takeru asked after a moment.

Yamato frowned as he considered the question, offering Takeru a half-hearted shrug. "If Sora is willing to meet me half way, I believe that we can be friends again. But we both need time to sort everything out. It was very nasty. I don't even know if the friendship is something that can be repaired."

"I'll take your word for it then," Takeru said with a nod. "I'm sorry for prying."

"No, I... I suppose everyone would be interested because it's such a hot debate. We had been dating, what, since ninth grade? She did leave me with all the wedding invites to cancel, that was fun calling all of the people who we invited and telling them that the wedding was cancelled." Yamato sighed, resting his chin in his hand. "That is not the point of this though. You like Ken."

"Yeah," Takeru said with a sigh, dropping his gaze to the table. "I don't know what to do about that."

"Isn't Ken dating Daisuke?" Yamato asked.

"Yeah," Takeru said with a nod. "They've been dating for a couple of years now."

"Doesn't that put a small damper on your feelings at all?" Yamato asked. Takeru hid his face in his hands, letting out a groan.

"I talked to Hikari about this, but do you know what it's like to walk into your home for nearly three months straight, find your roommate making out with his boyfriend on the couch and go 'woah, that's hot'?" Takeru asked, his words muffled by his hands.

"I don't have a roommate, but okay..." Yamato said with a frown, reaching over and tugging at his brother's hands. "What's wrong?" He asked with a frown.

"I have sexual desires for both my roommate and his boyfriend." Takeru said, looking Yamato in the eye.

"Polyamory is becoming a more accepted social standing." Yamato said, his mouth pulling into a frown. "What do you plan on doing about it?"

"I don't know," Takeru said with a sigh, glancing at his phone when he heard a ding. He picked it up, his mouth pulling into a frown as he read the message from Daisuke.

_heeey cn u com hme? smthng hppnd_

He rolled his eyes at the message, shoulders slumping. "Speaking of issues, I have to go. Thanks for listening Yamato."

"Not a problem." Yamato said with a small smile. "You listened to what I had to say." He pointed out.

"Yeah, let me know if you need help with anything." Takeru said, adjusting his grip on this bag. He hadn't really been out of the house that long and had intended to stay at Yamato's longer before Daisuke had texted him after only two hours of being out of the house.

"Hey, Takeru?"

Takeru paused by the door, turning his head to look at his brother curiously. He tipped his head, waiting for the man to continue speaking.

"If anything, maybe you can work it out with Ken and Daisuke, regardless of what the past had been. Ken may be a good person himself now." Yamato said quietly.

"What makes you think that?" Takeru asked, watching his brother.

"Hope that there is somewhere that you can find the goodness in people's souls." Yamato said with a shrug, glancing down as Takeru's phone chimed again. He sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Good night Takeru,"

"Good night Yamato." Takeru said, turning and leaving the room.

 

***

Takeru hesitated outside the apartment door, wishing for once that the digital gates had not closed. He rested his hand on the doorknob, imagining Patamon chiding him for not not going in sooner or even just asking if they were going to hang out there all night.

Takeru sighed before rolling back his shoulders and taking a breath. "Not at all, I am going to walk in there and-" He did walk in there as he spoke to himself, blinking as he walked into the dark apartment. He looked back and forth before resting his hand along the wall, wondering when Daisuke put up black out curtains. He flipped the switch, sighing when the light didn't turn on.

"Hello?" He asked, slipping out of his shoes and shutting the door behind him. He winced at the sound his voice made in the dark apartment and he grew frustrated as he started to walk to his room. "Damn it, I don't want to play ga-"

He turned when he heard something crash to the ground, raising his hands up to defend himself.

He jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder, turning and nearly elbowing Daisuke in the mouth. Daisuke took a step back, raising his hands.

"I'm friendly!" He promised.

"Why are the lights out?" Takeru asked, his gaze searching for Daisuke in the apartment.

"Well, I kinda...blew out the power." Daisuke said with a small laugh, his voice hesitant.

"And you added black out curtains to all the windows just so that we could stumble around in the dark?" Takeru asked, crossing his arms over his chest with a raised eyebrow, knowing that the look would be lost on his roommate.

"Hey, I just got here and hadn't had a chance to open them yet." Daisuke said quickly, Takeru picking up the note of the lie in his voice as he spoke.

"I don't... It doesn't matter." Takeru said, pulling out his phone and using the small light to make his way to the window. He tugged the curtain aside, letting the evening light illuminate the apartment as best as it could. "It smells like something burned,"

"Yeah, I did burn something, but that doesn't matter right now." Daisuke said, taking Takeru's wrist. "Honestly, I just wasn't paying enough attention to the timer earlier. Nothing to ruined,"

"What's going on?" Takeru asked, digging his heels into the carpet of the living room and refusing to let Daisuke tug him away from the window. "What was the big thing that I had to rush home for?"

"I'm sorry, did we interrupt something important?" Daisuke asked, his mouth pulling into a frown in the dim light. Takeru glanced around the apartment, raising an eyebrow.

"I mean, I don't often get to spend time with my brother, as he's been busy with schooling and the like." Takeru said slowly. "But, I only see you around, who is this 'we' that you speak of? And what was so important that I had to come back to deal with it right away? And isn't it your date night?"

"Well, the power's out." Daisuke offered helpfully.

"I can't help with that." Takeru said tiredly, sitting down on the couch. He could feel Daisuke's grip tighten on his wrist, but he refused to move with him until something made sense.

"Uhm..." Daisuke sighed, finally letting go of Takeru's hand. "Fine, I made dinner cause I wanted to talk to you about something. The power going out wasn't actually my fault at least."

"You made dinner cause you wanted to talk to me?" Takeru asked, raising an eyebrow. "You could have talked to me any other night. It's even your date night."

"Okay, so it wasn't the _best_ plan I've had, but it has its purpose!" Daisuke promised. "We'll just be eating by candle light."

"Uh huh... How about we eat out here since there's actually light?" Takeru suggested, gesturing towards the opened curtains in front of the window.

"That just ruins the mood." Daisuke said with a sigh.

"You're shit at setting a mood," Ken said, appearing from the dining area with a sigh. "Also, you blew the circuit breaker and the repair man can't come up until tomorrow."

"How is that my-" Daisuke paused, running a hand through his hair.

"Well, since whatever mood you were planning is ruined already..." Takeru turned to Ken, thinking back on his talk with his brother. "What the fuck am I doing back? I mean, obviously you two are still on your date night and I can't help any with the power being out."

Ken froze, his gaze darting from Daisuke to Takeru before he lifted a hand, running it through his hair. "I don't suppose..." He paused, frowning as he tried to come up with a response.

"Now that really killed the mood. We should at least eat before the food goes cold, seeing as we can't warm it up." Daisuke said, making his way to the dining area. Takeru slumped his shoulders, heading towards his room.

"Aren't you coming?" Ken asked curiously.

"I need to put my stuff away." Takeru said with a shake of his head, gesturing to the bag still on his back. He walked into his room, setting it on his desk and glancing at the last copy he had of his first book, grimacing at the thought of his missing partner.

Takeru offered the picture of the chosen and their digimon one last look, touching the younger him and Patamon before walking out of his room and into the kitchen. He paused when he saw the set up, almost regretting walking in when he realized that, yes, there was actually going to be a candlelit dinner in place of actual working lights.

"I'll bite," Takeru said, sitting down at his spot. "What is this all about?" He asked, tipping his head to the side.

"There's no way that this conversation won't be awkward Daisuke, it is completely in your control." Ken said, already beginning to eat the food in front of him.

"That is not what we discussed." Daisuke grumbled, Takeru resting his hands in his lap as he watched the couple. 

"Look, if it's that Ken wants to move in, I am more than happy finding a place on my own." Takeru promised, toying with his chopsticks as he considered the ramen before him. "I mean, I know you two are pretty well on in your relationship and I would hate to stand between it if you wanted to live together."

"What, no! It's not that at all." Daisuke said with a sharp shake of his head. "It's just that...uhm...well," he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck, glancing at Ken.

"To put it simply, both Daisuke and myself would have an interest in you joining our relationship," Ken said between mouthfuls of food. Daisuke looked relieved at the save, returning to his own food.

"No, really, if you want me to move out-" Takeru stopped his sentence as the words began to process, his brain slowly pulling meaning from the noise. He blinked once, twice, then stood up. "I'm sorry, I think I walked into the wrong house. Maybe the wrong dimension."

"Told you he wasn't going to take it well." Daisuke said, glancing at Ken.

"It's not a matter of being in the wrong place," Ken said. Takeru glanced at him, listening to his tone of voice. It was sweet, far different from any tone that Takeru had ever heard of out the Kaiser, and yet... "It's a matter of point of interest of both Daisuke and I. We understand if you have no interest of such a thing however and would be more than willing to set the matter aside and not speak of it again, if that is what you wish."

"I..." Takeru blinked, glancing from Daisuke to Ken before he sank back into his chair, pressing his face into his hands and laughing silently, his shoulders shaking as he did so.

"I think you broke him," Daisuke told Ken quietly.

"I don't know." Takeru said, pulling himself together long enough to remove his hands from his face. "I just...don't know." He admitted, wondering what had happened to bring this on. He pressed his hands onto the table, feeling his stomach turn.

"That's fair," Daisuke said with a nod. "You've been under a lot of stress lately, haven't you?"

"Yeah," Takeru said, his gaze darting from Ken to Daisuke. "I'm really sorry about..." He gestured, unsure of what he even wanted to say there.

"Completely understandable," Ken said with a nod. He offered Takeru a smile, considering him for a moment. "Well, if there is ever a time that you are interested in trying it out, we are here."

"You're serious?" Takeru asked slowly.

"Of course," Daisuke said with a nod. He glanced down when his phone rang, moving to step into his bedroom to make the call. Takeru watched him, turning his gaze to Ken.

"To answer your earlier question," Ken began quietly, "the only thing that is going on is wanting to have you join us. It is...not something that everyone would consider, I understand that. I am certain Daisuke understands that as well. If it is something that makes you uncomfortable, I am more than happy to not bring it up again."

"It's not that. Just, why now?" Takeru asked.

"I don't know," Ken said with a shake of his head. "It felt right to talk to you now. The last few days...it has brought to light a lot of things. You have a wonderful voice in writing, and this is actually something we've discussed before, but..." He waved his hand, his eyes looking sad.

"Never found a way to bring it up casually." Daisuke said with a nod.

"Sometimes, there's just no way knowing how to do something. You just have to forge a path ahead." Ken said, clearing his throat. "I don't know what we're trying to do, most days. But, I would like you by my side, if that is something you are comfortable with Takeru."

Takeru nodded, listening to the tone shift in Ken's voice as he spoke. "I wish I knew what we were trying to do too." Takeru murmured, shoulders slumping.

"May I kiss you?" Ken asked, the question startling Takeru. He laughed softly, shaking his head. "I know that you're busy, but I have the strangest...desire to want to kiss you, as if I won't get the chance to later if I don't try now."

"Sure," Takeru said, unsure of himself as Ken got up, walking over. He smiled, resting a hand on Takeru's cheek.

"You really are pretty," Ken murmured. He leaned down, kissing Takeru gently. He felt his brain short circuit, the warmth of Ken's lips on his being his only point of contact. Takeru almost whined when Ken pulled away, the man smiling at him before returning to his seat. Takeru looked down at his food, beginning to eat when Daisuke joined them once more.

"If we can make it work, I would like to try." Takeru said with a small shake of his head, feeling his throat seem to choke on the words.

"I would like that." Daisuke promised with a smile.

"Of course," Ken agreed, still mere inches away from Takeru. He took another step back, returning to his seat. "So, we are in agreement? We can try...whatever this may be?"

"Of course," Takeru said as he finished his food, feeling a pair of eyes on his back as the candle light flickered around them.

"Good!" Daisuke said, standing up and kissing Takeru back. "I've wanted to do that for a while," he admitted, pulling back and seeing Takeru's look of shock cross his face. Ken offered a small chuckle, Takeru relaxing as he glanced between the two, feeling comfortable for the first time in ages around them.

"Then why stop?" He asked, his words cheerful as he let his gaze dart between the two men. "I don't want either of you to stop." He whispered, feeling content as Ken hummed in agreement, the candles burning themselves out long after the trio moved to watching something on the TV, letting the dishes rest in the sink for the night.

**Author's Note:**

> PS: Like 85% of this was ripped word for word and then CHANGED from that other, much longer story that doesn't seem like it was hastily written. So, let me know if you want to see the rest of it.
> 
> I may post it anyway.....
> 
> Edit: It looks like I will be posting the full thing. I'm going to, probably, finish it first than work out plot issues before posting it. I hope you enjoy this off kilter teaser!
> 
> Edit edit: This would be considered the Happy Ending for "The Problem with Roommates"


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